


Game Start

by Haya_dono



Category: Samurai Warriors
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-01
Updated: 2013-11-01
Packaged: 2017-12-31 03:33:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1026760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haya_dono/pseuds/Haya_dono
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my entry for the trope Metafiction. And I swear I wrote this before the SW4 new characters reveal, so irony is amusing.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Game Start

**Author's Note:**

> This is my entry for the trope Metafiction. And I swear I wrote this before the SW4 new characters reveal, so irony is amusing.

Yukimura Sanada opened his eyes after a long deep slumber. However, before he could stir up and warm his stiff body, he knew he had been called to battle. Next thing, he was running around in a slightly familiar but different field. It was Mikatagahara, but not the one he had been at time ago. Something had changed but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Maybe it were the sharper trees and better layered paths. The buildings seemed much clearer, without that characteristic polygon-esque outlines of them that he had been used to by now. It was not something he’d normally notice, or even remember, but part of him knew there was something different.

And when Yukimura tried to recall when it had been the last time he had been there, at ‘Mikatagahara’, he couldn’t tell how much time had passed. In fact, he was surprised that along the way he noticed that sometime had changed his red-golden armor for a red-blue-white scheme. Perhaps it had been the extra weight his shoulder plate now brought or maybe his white cloth now fluttering as he ran. It might have something to do with it wrapping clumsily around his spear as he tried to swing it. His hair seemed shorter and combed differently, from what he had seen in his reflection on the river, and he got slightly scared for a second that he had been forgetting what was happening, and if he had been doing other things he’d not be able to recall.

Then, he heard a laugh. He turned and his eyes met Sakon Shima’s eyes… or someone vaguely similar to the man. It was that strange, nostalgic feeling again. Deep down he knew it was Sakon, but he looked so different. Almost as if he had encountered a friend after years of not having seen each other. His clothes, his hairstyle, they were not like he used to remember them. But that tone, that smirk, that pose, they were Sakon’s and no one else’s.

“What? Are you too entranced by my new appearance that you can’t speak?” Sakon said, with a smile so wide at Yukimura’s confusion. The younger man’s eyes seemed fixated on Sakon, and he couldn’t blame the kid. He was Sakon but not exactly the same.

“Lord Sakon…” He could only reply, slightly flustered that he had been rudely staring at his superior. “My apolo-“

However, his words were drowned by a laugh. “Nice design, Yukimura. Suits you well.” With a dismissive hand gesture, Sakon walked forward, prompting Yukimura to follow suit. “We’re getting seven newcomers this time.”

“Newcomers…?” He said, as he walked next to Sakon, looking at the man, as if staring at him would bring some answers.

Sakon laughed again. “You know, for being one of the original ones, you surely know nothing, Yukimura. You should be teaching _me_.” And as he finished that sentence, he halted and faced Yukimura, poking his friend’s forehead gently two times.

However, that answer did not help Yukimura at all, as the young man’s blank face revealed that he was even more confused than before. Yet Sakon didn’t seem to worry either. He just continued walking across the field, across some bridges, always heading north. It was a silent walk that kept Yukimura on edge, without no enemies, no people other than the two men.

Suddenly, Sakon came to a halt and sat down. “This is the spot. Now we wait.”

Yukimura looked around, they were still on the empty field of Mikatagahara, but it almost seemed the middle of nowhere, without people, without enemies, without anything other than the two men. He turned puzzled to Sakon, almost hoping he’d get a straight answer now. He had never been good at guessing. Just what they were waiting for, Yukimura couldn’t even tell.

The strategist had read his mind. Without looking at Yukimura, he pointed at the sky. “ _Them_. We’re waiting for _them_.”

Yukimura lifted his head and gazed the orange sky, wondering if there was something that would be falling. But just as his eyes noticed the clouds, he finally remembered.

Eyes wide open, the crimson samurai turned to his sitting partner, a look of fear and awe painted on his face as he replied, “You mean…”

“Oh? So you finally remember _them_.” He put his hand under his chin, incredibly amused at Yukimura’s now legendary airheadedness. “You should be grateful they aren’t nearby right now. _They_ could be offended.”

_They_ , the most fearsome and dreaded.

Yukimura knew that in the land there was someone higher than Lord Shingen, with a greater power than any he had ever met, far more powerful than Lord Tadakatsu, with an authority that rivaled Oda Nobunaga’s. No, not even the strength of the three Unifiers would equal theirs. This entity was something higher than those in power, someone with absolute will who decided who got to act and who didn’t. Something almost akin to a god, Yukimura thought.

This god was fickle, sometimes it had the shape of a man, other times of a woman. At times, god could multiply itself and use several forms, wearing unusual clothes he had never seen. However, Yukimura knew he could never question their actions, for sometimes they banished someone to oblivion, always neglected to be Level 1. Despite never feeling fear, he had some apprehension but also awe at _The Player_.

“Looks like you’re first, kid,” Sakon said as he turned his eyes to the sky. “Quite popular you are. Lucky too. You get to play right away.” He then paused for a moent and shrugged nonchalantly, with that knowing, teasing smile of his. “But, you know what they say. Always save best for last.”

Yukimura grimaced as he recalled how many times he’d been one of the first to appear, getting his time to shine before everyone else. “I’m sorry, Lord Sakon.”

But Sakon shook his head. “It’s alright, they like you. Besides, I can’t join right away, they have to unlock me first.” He got up, almost lazily and dusted off his clothing. “I just hope they are good this time. Lord Shingen told me about your first time. You died on your very first battle. Easy Mode. Almost an accomplishment of failure.”

At the sound of this, memories of Yukimura’s first battle and his extremely embarrassing defeat against the first mooks, minutes after the battle had started, surfaced. His cheeks flushed red, looking mortified at Sakon, who only proceeded to laugh (possibly at him) and then patted his shoulder. “Relax, poster boy. You’ll do fine. Just don’t die again.”

Yukimura’s frown deepened. No matter how incompetent The Player was, Yukimura always felt at fault for their defeat in battle. This was no laughing matter for him. However, just as he was thinking of a reply, Yukimura saw Sakon slowly walking away.

“Lord Sakon, where are you…?”

Without turning back, Sakon said aloud, “It’s not my time yet, it’s yours. I’ll go where I’m supposed to be. Shingen will be here too, he’ll arrive soon. And who knows, maybe your brother will join us next game.”

Yukimura’s eyes followed Sakon until he was no longer to be seen, then turned again at the sky. Memories of his early moments, his lashing out at Lord Shingen (He’d have to apologize for his rude behavior and characterization back then), his meeting with Lord Kanetsugu and Lord Mitsunari. his different battles for and against other people sometimes opposing The Player, sometimes controlled by The Player, he now remembered them. Maybe in the future, he’d get to meet new people. Maybe he’d see again the people from Shu, and he had a feeling that his future would be full of new encounters, with people he had never seen before and with mysterious creatures with almost magical abilities. He wasn’t quite sure, but he just knew.

But for now, he was just beginning his third story. And he wished from the bottom of his heart that _they_ were enjoying it as much as he did.


End file.
